


Best Laid Plans

by GuineapigQueen



Series: 200 Followers Requests [7]
Category: South Park
Genre: M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-03-09 07:49:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18912664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GuineapigQueen/pseuds/GuineapigQueen
Summary: Fill for this prompt: "Craig loosing his shit when Tweek's water breaks or starts to feel sick."OrFive times Craig freaks out about Tweek's pregnancy and the One time he doesn't.





	Best Laid Plans

**Author's Note:**

> My first attempt at a five times fic! 
> 
> Thanks to sun_sparks for the beta job :)

One

 

They hadn’t planned this, and things not being planned really rattled Craig. Even little things, like the shirt he wanted not being clean or Tweek stopping off somewhere without mentioning it. He wasn’t necessarily controlling but he did like to know what was happening. He wasn’t keen on surprises and he liked having a set plan to follow. So when Tweek worries that maybe he might be pregnant he knows Craig will freak. Craig will probably freak more than Tweek will, because he knows babies  _ should  _ be planned. They don’t always get to be of course, and Tweek is willing to go with the flow and work it out as they go along. Craig on the other hand - Craig will want everything worked out to a tee; their finances, work logistics, their home and probably even have a nursery ready before they’d even started trying. This was not ideal.

 

Tweek’s not even sure where they messed up with the contraception either, they’ve always been very careful. With Craig being his partner they were always going to be careful - the best excuse Tweek has is either catastrophic failure of the contraceptives, or he managed to forget a dose or something. He’s not sure, it doesn’t really matter to him anyway; the point is he’s feeling tired and nauseous and he wants to know for sure. He just doesn’t know if he should tell Craig or not. On one hand, he could not tell Craig and then laugh about it with him if the test ends up negative - but if it’s positive, Craig might be upset that he wasn’t involved from the jump. He just doesn’t wanna make Craig stress unnecessarily, but he’s also kinda stressed himself. It’s not the end of the world if he is pregnant, he supposes, but he’d rather they have planned it. He’d like to have that experience where they’ve been trying and they want it  _ so  _ bad, not this frazzled kinda feeling. In a way, he wants the test to show negative so that he can get back to normal and when the right time comes, he and Craig can have that joyful moment together. 

 

But Tweek also knows life doesn’t always work that way, so he braces himself for a positive and what that might mean. He knows that to him, it could still be a happy moment - he’s not opposed to having a baby even if it’s a little earlier than they intended. He just worries what it will mean for Craig, knowing Craig didn’t get to plan out his child’s potential entrance to the world. 

 

Tweek is secure enough in their relationship to know it won’t split them up, he doesn’t feel like Craig would leave him or run away over this. He does feel like Craig will make himself sick with anxiety over it and put crazy pressure on himself to deliver impossible results. Tweek isn’t exactly sure how he should approach it.

 

His subconscious kind of decides this for him. He and Craig are cuddled up together and half asleep; Tweek feels a bit nauseous and instead of saying “I feel like I might be sick," he mumbles “I think I’m pregnant.” 

 

So much for subtlety. 

 

“You what?!” Craig yells, piercing the formerly quiet calm. He jerks upright and Tweek is forced to groggily sit up, still confused at what exactly just happened.

 

“Huh?” He replies, rubbing some sleep from his eyes. 

 

“Were you dreaming or was that legit?” Craig asks, clearly awake now and wound up. 

 

“What did I say?” Tweek mumbles, still pretty unsure at what actually just went down. 

 

“You said you think you’re pregnant!” Craig cries, like it's the most obvious thing in the world. Tweek blinks back at him for a second before realising.

 

“Oh… ah, yeah," he says dumbly. 

 

“ _ Yeah?!  _ Tweek, this is huge! How long have you been worried?” Craig says, launching straight into his anxious feelings, which Tweek knew would happen. Fuck, why does he have to have such a big dumb mouth. 

 

“Uh, not that long. Probably for as long as I’ve  _ -nnn- _ been getting sick, I guess," he says, trying his best to downplay the situation.

 

“Oh shit, Tweek. Shit! What are we gonna do?” is Craig’s response, he keeps mumbling curse words to himself. Tweek has to force himself not to shake Craig to snap him out of it. 

 

“Calm down man, we don’t have to do anything now. I’ll get a test after work tomorrow or  _ -ah-  _ something," Tweek says, as calmly as he can manage. 

 

“No, I wanna be sure, Tweek. Those tests aren’t always reliable. We gotta go to a doctor," Craig insists. 

 

“Okay, okay, I’ll make an appointment just... try to calm it down okay? Nothing is certain yet," he shrugs, "It might be a false alarm, just try to  _ -hnn-  _ focus on that.”

 

“Fuck," is all Craig says in response.

 

Tweek goes to answer, to say some positive affirmations or something that’s hopefully soothing enough to get Craig to go back to sleep, but instead his stomach protests and he has to dash to the bathroom. It’s only across from their bedroom, thank god, but vomiting is never not awful. The thing he hates the most about this is that he’ll start to feel better, and start to think that maybe this was all in his head. And then it’ll start up again, leaving him more paranoid than ever. He whines pathetically after being sick, just wanting to collapse into a boneless heap. 

 

“Hey," Craig says quietly. Despite this Tweek still jumps, thinking he was alone in his misery. He kneels down next to Tweek and places a comforting hand on Tweek’s back. 

 

“I made this all about me, I’m sorry. You probably feel like shit," he says with concern. 

 

“Not doing great," Tweek manages to mumble, letting himself melt more into Craig’s touches. 

 

“I’m sorry, Tweek," Craig says sadly. "I’ll try not to let myself get too lost in my own bullshit. I’m here for you, okay?” 

 

Tweek wants to say that it’s okay, that he thinks he’s has this handled, at least emotionally speaking but he just doesn’t have the strength to be brave. Instead, he just reaches for Craig and pulls him into a strong hug. 

 

“Just cuddle me till I fall back to sleep," Tweek requests. 

—

 

Two

 

Tweek doesn’t feel well enough to have strong emotions about the situation. It’s more just a thing that’s happening to him, he spends most of his time trying to recuperate some of the energy he’s expending just from existing. He isn’t even really anxious about the outcome anymore; he trusts that he and Craig will figure it out. 

 

Craig is clearly anxious; he keeps looking at his watch as they sit in the waiting room at the doctors surgery. Normally Tweek would make an ‘ _ am I boring you?’  _ joke but he doesn’t have the energy to talk. He rests his head on Craig’s shoulder instead even if he’s feeling irritated by Craig’s jerky movements. 

 

“Is this my fault? It’s probably my fault right?” Craig says. He’s barely making sense and Tweek is ignoring him. 

 

“No. It’s no ones fault," Tweek replies blandly. 

 

“Well, was there a night I forgot to wear a condom or something? I don’t remember?” Craig rambles.

 

“No, now shut up," Tweek cuts in. He’s tired, he’s feeling sick; he doesn’t have the patience for Craig today. 

 

“Sorry! I’m sorry, Tweek, I just… I’m a solutions person unable to find the one I need for this problem," Craig replies, deflating a little.

 

“There might not even be a  _ -gah-  _ problem, just chill and leave me alone, please," Tweek says. Even though he’s pretty sure he knows what the test is gonna say, the way he feels is telling him a very resounding  _ positive.  _

 

“We’re gonna be okay," he says to Craig quietly, feeling a little guilty for being so harsh. 

 

“Yeah, yeah… you’re right… I mean, we love each other and like, we wouldn’t be rotten parents? Would we?” asks Craig, desperate for Tweek’s approval.

 

“No, we’d be fine," Tweek affirms, threading his fingers with Craig’s. 

 

“Okay," Craig says, nodding. More to himself than to anyone else. 

 

The doctor calls his name with uncertainty.  If he  _ is  _ pregnant, he’s definitely naming his and Craig’s baby something normal. 

 

Craig bolts upright at the sound of Tweek’s name being called and then, as if poked, he scrambles to standing. Tweek moves slower, allowing Craig to help him up as he trudges down the hallway groggily. 

 

The process itself doesn’t take long; he tells the doctor he thinks he’s pregnant, he pisses in a cup and they wait for the results. The doctor doesn’t seem judgemental or mean, which is a plus. Tweek is pretty sure he could’ve handled it either way, but there’s no way Craig would have been able to. He knows he probably  _ should  _ be anxious but he can’t bring himself to be. Having a baby with Craig would be an adventure, it definitely wouldn’t be a bad thing. So he uses the waiting time to try and nap instead. 

 

He mostly just feels relieved when the doctor confirms it, because what would the alternatives be? He has some kinda cancer or unknown disease? A baby seems much more preferable to those things. He loves Craig, they’ve been together since high school and he’s sure they’ll be wonderful parents. He’s sure their baby will be the cutest baby to exist -  he’s almost excited. 

 

Craig holds it together in the doctor's office but Tweek knows he’ll lose his shit when they get home. Not in a bad, or angry way, but in a scared way. Craig won’t like that they don't have a plan, he’ll want to know the answers now as opposed to Tweek, who has faith they’ll work it out as they go. 

 

He doesn’t explode or anything, instead he flops on the couch and holds his head in his hands. He probably has a headache brought on from his stressing, Tweek knows the feeling. Tweek just sits down next to him, not forcing anything. 

 

“This is huge, Tweek," is what Craig says when he finally decides to speak. "This is probably the most important thing to ever happen to us.”

 

“Yeah, it’s pretty important," Tweek agrees. "Look, Craig… it’s not necessarily a  _ -nghh- _ bad thing? I’m not upset.”

 

“You’re not?” Craig replies, blinking back at Tweek dumbly. 

 

“I’m not, I’d like to have a family with you," Tweek affirms, hoping he sounds as sure as he feels. 

 

“Even though we’ve done zero planning? We have no baby things? Our house isn’t baby proof… fuck, I don’t even know what a baby even needs? I don’t know how to be a dad!” Craig fires off, each point edging him closer to breathlessness. He takes a deep breath when he finally stops. 

 

“Me either, but I’m sure we can  _ -ah-  _ learn? If you want to?” Tweek answers. 

 

“It’s not that I don’t want to, Tweek. It’s just that I’m scared, I guess," Craig shrugs. Craig doesn’t like to do vulnerability and emotions but has learnt that it’s an integral part of keeping a relationship healthy and working, so he’ll begrudgingly tell Tweek these things. Still shyly, like a schoolboy. 

 

“I think that’s normal," Tweek says. He hopes he sounds comforting. "I’ll put my  _ -nghh-  _ cards on the table for you - I want this," he adds firmly. Craig has to know where he stands. 

 

“I mean… I want it too, I guess, if I really think about it. I’m just really shocked, I guess," Craig mumbles, scrambling to order his thoughts. 

 

“You can be shocked, just as long as we do this together," Tweek encourages with a small smile. He puts an arm around Craig, who doesn’t pull away. 

 

“Well yeah, I mean, no matter what happens we’re staying together. You’re the only person I wanna be with, ever," Craig admits. Tweek knows this, but it’s still nice to hear it anyway. Good to know his faith in Craig was founded. 

 

“Same," Tweek says with a nod. "I know you don’t like to  _ -hnn- _ wing things but since this is happening to my body, trust me? This once?” 

 

“I always trust you," Craig says, and Tweek lets him pull him in closer. 

 

—

 

Three 

 

Tweek flops down onto the couch, exhausted. So far this pregnancy has been a mixture of Tweek needing to rest and Craig ferociously devouring every piece of media on pregnancy and parenting that he can get his hands on. Craig's energy is exhausting, though to be fair, everything is exhausting. The morning sickness faded pretty early but he's been plagued by fatigue the entire time. 

 

He rests a hand on the small bump of his stomach. It's little enough that it doesn't get in the way of his mobility but it's grown to the point  he's outgrown all his clothes and he can't really hide it anymore. It's definitely weird to be so pregnant that people don't ask him anymore, they assume. 

 

He's on his feet all day for work and he's really been feeling it. On top of the crushing fatigue, his feet throb, his back aches and his hips hurt with all the new weight and pressure. He finds he can't take on as many clients as he used to at the salon. His body just hurts so much. 

 

He likes his job for the most part - doing hair is fun. Especially since over the years he's built himself up as a colour specialist and has regular clientele who let him be creative. But it's physically hard work, he's always on his feet and sometimes the chemicals make him feel a bit sick. 

 

He took a half day today, needing an afternoon to try and recharge after a long and busy week. So he has beaten Craig home; he usually does anyway but this time he has a few more hours headstart. Tweek works much more local to their apartment whereas Craig commutes further into the city. Tweek knows not to expect Craig just yet, instead he takes the time to enjoy the quiet and being alone. He doesn't sleep but he rests; a comfy pillow under his back and another behind his head. He concentrates on the movement going on in his belly. It's nearly always something now, he can feel kicks, rolls and restless wriggling. Craig hasn't been able to feel anything yet but for Tweek it's crystal clear and near constant: the baby is super active. He gets distracted at work, kept awake at night and just feels weird on the inside on the whole. 

 

It's weird, but he likes to feel it. It's a great reminder of just  _ why  _ all these weird things are happening to him. That, and he likes the idea that he's bonding with this little person. He can't really wrap his head around the fact that he and Craig made a human, let alone that this human is growing in and being nurtured by his body. Tweek never really thought his body was good for anything, but now he sees it in a whole new light. He's definitely amazed at what it's been able to do thus far. 

 

Tweek is half asleep when Craig does come home. He hasn't moved from his spot on the couch and still has a hand resting on his belly. He groans as he wakes up properly, hearing the door open and Craig's big feet stomping on the floor.

 

“Oh fuck," he says. "I didn't realise you were out here, Tweek. I thought you'd be in the bedroom.”

 

“I just kinda passed out here. The baby was keeping me awake so I was kinda  _ -gah- _ in and out," Tweek mumbles sleepily. 

 

“That little shit never moves for me," Craig grumbles, but they both know there's no malice behind it.

 

“They move, you just can't feel them through my fat belly," Tweek replies with a laugh. He pats his stomach affectionately, he doesn't care what anyone says, he feels huge.

 

“It's not even fat, you idiot," Craig says and nudges Tweek. "I guess our kid is kinda nice. They don't wanna kick hard enough to hurt you.”

 

“I don't think it's  _ -nghh-  _ conscious, but it's a nice thought, man," Tweek hums in agreement.

 

“Hello baby," Craig says, kneeling down and hugging Tweek's middle so that his face is pressed against Tweek's tummy. “I missed you, and your daddy.” 

 

Tweek smiles to himself as he strokes Craig's hair. The baby is moving, it's a shame Craig can't feel his own child move and react to his voice. 

 

“Oh!” Craig exclaims, moving his face away from Tweek’s belly slightly. "Tweek, I felt that one…” he trails off, staring at the bump of Tweek’s stomach intently.

 

Tweek can’t help but laugh, because of course Craig feels his first kick by being kicked in the face. It’s beautiful, and it’s so  _ their  _ kid. 

 

“That’s my baby," Tweek says, still laughing.

 

“It’s not funny!” Craig cries. "They’re actually like… there, holy shit!”

 

“No shit, genius. Did you  _ -ah-  _ think this belly was just water weight?” Tweek jokes, resting a hand at the very top of his stomach.

 

“No! Shut up… it’s really real, okay? … Like that’s a person who moves on their own and does things of their own accord. We made a real person that’s gonna grow and have their own thoughts and feelings… We can’t control who’ll they’ll be or what they’ll do…” Craig rambles. Tweek thinks he gets it now; the scope of it is beginning to dawn on Craig. They created a person, and they’re gonna be responsible for them but there’s only so much they can control. 

 

“Yeah… we’re parents, not evil overlords. We’ll nurture them and  _ -nnn-  _ hope they make good choices. That’s sort of the point," Tweek counters, he has faith they’ll do right by the kid. 

 

“Shut up, Tweek, I know that!” Craig panics, “It’s just that it’s  _ real,  _ okay? You’ve been able to feel the kid move for ages but like, it hasn’t been quite so concrete for me.”

 

“It’s okay, babe," Tweek replies calmly, “If it makes you feel better, they  _ -hnn-  _ often move when you talk, even if you can’t feel it.”

 

“Really?” Craig says, softer this time, in awe.

 

“Yeah, like, all the time. I think they wanna meet you," Tweek affirms with a small smile.

 

“They need to hurry up and come out, I wanna meet them too," Craig softly says, placing a hand on Tweek’s tummy. He rubs his thumb over the curve affectionately because at the end of the day, his love for the kid trumps his anxiety. 

 

“You’re gonna be a good dad, Craig, you care so much. I can’t wait to  _ -ah-  _ share this with you," Tweek hums happily. 

 

“Fuck," Craig says, voice full of emotion, "I love you so much, both of you.”

 

—

 

Four

 

Tweek is relieved to be home after a shitty day at work. Work itself was fine, just busy but he has felt like shit for almost the entire shift. He ended up taking a half day and heading home; both the pressure and nausea swirling around in his belly were too much for him. He doesn’t feel any better but it’s just nice to be in the comfort of his own home. His stomach has hurt vaguely throughout the entire day and now that he’s in trimester three, the nausea has returned intermittently. He’s not in horrible pain, it’s more discomfort and he’s kind of used to being uncomfortable by now. He changes into comfortable pyjamas and curls up in bed. 

 

He doesn’t sleep - he’s too uncomfortable. The feeling is hard to describe but his stomach is tight and there’s just a lot of pressure in there today. Tweek is used to feeling pressure and aches and pains, but this is just stronger than he is used to. He rubs his stomach hoping that it might help to ease the discomfort, but so far no luck. He’s officially huge now; he hasn’t been able to see his feet for a while and from the side, he looks like he swallowed a watermelon whole. His belly is heavy and uncomfortable and he can’t wait until this kid decides to show their face. Work has been difficult with the belly, but mostly Tweek has been just doing colour jobs with an apprentice to assist when his stomach gets in the way. He’s beginning to think it’s probably time to take leave though, his poor feet can’t take much more.

 

He groans, wriggling to try and get comfortable but to no avail. The baby moves less now, but only because they don’t have the room. There’s still movement and most of the time it’s extremely uncomfortable for Tweek. He had no idea that his skin could stretch the way it has done before this ordeal. 

 

He ends up laying on his side, pillows under his stomach and supporting his back. He closes his eyes, hoping to relax himself a little, but he doesn’t fall asleep. He just stays that way, trying to clear his mind so that he can sleep this feeling off, until Craig comes home. Tweek doesn’t hear the door or anything but he does hear Craig’s feet coming up the stairs. They’re gonna have to work on that once the baby arrives - quieter steps. 

 

“Hey babe," he says quietly as he enters the bedroom, "you feel any better?”

 

“No," Tweek groans in reply. 

 

“I’m sorry," Craig says with concern. "Can I do something to help?”

 

“C’mere," Tweek mumbles. 

 

Craig is quick to hop into bed, slotting in behind Tweek and placing a hand on his belly. 

 

“Is this spot okay?” He asks, rubbing in small circles just under Tweek’s belly button. 

 

“Yeah, it’s fine.”

 

“It’s tight, babe," Craig comments, sounding slightly worried.

 

“Yeah I know, it’s always  _ -gah-  _ tight," Tweek replies tiredly. 

 

“No, but I can feel how tight it is. That’s not normal," Craig insists. Tweek can feel his muscles stiffening beside him. Great, anxious Craig is so not what he needs right now. 

 

“It’s fine, Craig. It’s really not  _ -nghh-  _ painful," he says, trying to downplay. 

 

“Tweek, it could be a contraction! Is the pain far apart?” Craig sounds rattled, if Tweek wasn’t feeling so rough he’d laugh and pet his partners hair. But he can’t, he doesn’t have the energy. 

 

“It’s not apart at all Craig, it’s like a constant ache. It’s not a  _ -hnn-  _ contraction," he replies with a sigh. 

 

“How do you  _ know,  _ Tweek? You’ve never had a baby before," Craig says, moving to get out of bed. Tweek groans at the loss of his touch. 

 

“Because contractions stop and start," Tweek points out, his patience wearing thin. 

 

“I’m gonna call the doctor," Craig decides, before leaving the room. Tweek is left alone blinking back at the empty space. 

 

“Suit yourself," Tweek grumbles, he can’t deal with Craig right now. Craig’s just gonna have to calm himself down. He sighs, he knows his body and while this isn’t fun, he’s pretty sure it’s not labour. 

 

When Craig finally comes back into the room he seems calmer, and less in a jumpy kind of rush so Tweek takes that as a positive. 

 

“They said it’s probably false labour," he says. "You were right about the stopping and starting.”

 

“I know I was," Tweek says with annoyance. “If it changes I’ll  _ -nnn-  _ tell you, don’t freak out okay?”

 

“I know, I’m sorry… I just, I wanna help you," he sounds embarrassed. 

 

“Trust me," Tweek says. "It’s my body, and I’ll listen to it.”

 

“Yeah… okay, I trust you. I do, I guess I just feel really helpless," Craig says forlornly. He sits down on the end of the bed gingerly, staring at his hands.

 

“It’s okay, Craig," Tweek comforts, "but when you lay here with me? Rub my tummy? It  _ -gah-  _ helps, you’re helping more than you know. Just try to stay calm, okay?” 

 

“I will," Craig promises, he sounds sure too. Tweek smiles weakly in return before a pain morphs his face into a frown. 

 

“Uh, the nurse on the phone said that hot water helps, if you want a shower?” Craig suggests. 

 

Tweek nods, he hasn’t got anything to lose after all. 

 

—

 

Five 

 

Tweek is glad to finally be off work; being able to lie in bed most of the day is a privilege he’s probably not going to have again for a long time. Babies are hard work, so he’s heard. On one hand, doing nothing is awesome but on the other he’s super uncomfortable. He’s never felt anything like this level of discomfort before. He only gets to sleep in short bursts, maybe an hour or two before everything hurts. There’s no relief from the ache in his back or the feeling of all his organs being squished. The baby can’t really move anymore without either hurting him, disrupting him or making him feel sick. Tweek more than anything wants his kid in his arms and his body back. 

 

Craig is still working - he’s going to work up until the baby comes. Craig is nervous about this, but Tweek is confident he’s not going to miss anything. Labour takes ages and Tweek is sure it will give Craig plenty of time to get home from work. 

 

Since the first round of Braxton Hicks contractions, Tweek has been having them on and off ever since with varying severity. Most of the time they’re just annoying and a bit distracting but not a huge deal. A couple of times they’ve been so uncomfortable Tweek has had to go lie down and rest until they pass. They’ve been mostly okay though; Tweek’s kind of gotten used to them. Craig’s been trusting Tweek’s intuition regarding them a lot more too. He’s obviously not liked seeing Tweek uncomfortable or in pain, but he’s let Tweek take the lead regarding what action they take. Tweek appreciates it immensely, knowing letting go isn’t exactly Craig’s strong suit. 

 

This evening, so far anyway, has been relaxing. It consisted of Craig cooking for them (Craig isn’t the best cook but he did a pretty good job this time), snuggling up together on the couch watching tv, reading in bed together (seperate books, obviously) and now, drifting off slowly into sleep. Tweek takes whatever sleep he can get. The only thing that would have made this evening better would be if Tweek was actually able to spoon Craig, but there’ll be none of that until the baby is born. Instead, Tweek spoons a pillow that supports his tummy. He misses Craig though. 

 

He’s not sure what time he wakes up, but his stomach is tight. Tight enough that he wakes up confused and disoriented. Craig is still asleep, lightly snoring next to him completely unaware. Tweek takes a few deep breaths before remembering where he is and why. He inhales sharply as a pain grips his lower back. He doesn’t mean to, but he accidentally cries out an “ouch!”.

 

This wakes Craig, who emerges from sleep slowly and groggily. 

 

“What is it, Tweek?” He mumbles as he pulls himself to a sitting position. Tweek watches his eyes slowly open and awaken in the eerie moonlight. Tweek is not sure how to say it… but he feels scared. 

 

“Pain," Tweek says finally. "It’s gone now.”

 

“Are you alright?” Craig whispers, clearly awake now.

 

“No. I feel weird. I feel sick," Tweek whines, he can’t articulate how he’s feeling - he just knows it’s  _ wrong. _

 

“Shit, do you want me to help you to the shower? I’ll stay in the bathroom with you if you want?” Craig asks, rubbing Tweek’s back soothingly. Tweek concentrates in the way his fingers feel as the stroke his skin. 

 

“Yeah, maybe, I-  _ oww!”  _ The pain cuts him off again. It’s primarily in his back, but his stomach is squeezing tight with it, adding to the awful sensation. 

 

“Okay, Tweek, c’mon. I’ll help you up," Craig says, hopping out of the bed and heading over to Tweek’s side. He helps Tweek up with minimal fuss, and places a hand on the small of Tweek’s back for support as they head to the bathroom. 

 

They aren’t quite there when Tweek feels it. A pop, deep inside his belly and then a weird release of pressure. He’s about to panic when he feels the liquid running down his legs. That was most definitely his waters - shit, this is happening for real.

 

“Craig," Tweek says, stopping them both in their tracks. "My waters just  _ -ah-  _ went.”

 

“What?” Craig replies, dumbfounded. 

 

“My waters, they just broke!  _ -Gah!- _ ” Tweek repeats frustratedly. It’s all well and good for Craig to be shocked, but he’s the one standing here with wet pants. 

 

“Shit! Shit! It’s happening!” Craig springs back to life, rambling and nervous. Tweek feels sick. 

 

“I guess so…  _ ah!”  _ He moans as another contraction cuts him off. He doubles over and this seems to bring Craig back to earth as he supports Tweek. 

 

“Okay, okay," Craig takes a deep breath. "I’m gonna call the hospital, and then I’m gonna calm down," he says. 

 

“Get me in the  _ -nghh-  _ shower first," Tweek whines. “It hurts and I’m all wet.”

 

“Yes, shit! I’m sorry, Tweek, I’ll start your shower and then I’ll go get your hospital bag," he says, almost like he’s creating a to do list for himself. It makes Tweek feel a little calmer, knowing that he won’t have to be looking after Craig while he’s trying to give birth. 

 

“You’ve got this," he says. 

 

“No, I think you do, babe," Craig corrects with a smile. "You’re gonna do so good!” 

 

—

 

(Six, or the one time Craig didn’t freak out) 

 

Tweek curls his toes in the cheap hospital sheets, the pain taking over his whole body and causing him to grip Craig’s hand tight. 

 

“Oh my god!” He moans miserably, he’s not even in control of what words come out of his mouth anymore. It’s just a series of moans, exclamations and expletives. 

 

_ Jesus fuck it hurts.  _

 

He knew this part would hurt, but he could never have known how much. He’s never ever been in this kind of pain before; it takes over his whole entire being and shakes him to his core. His whole entire body is in a vice grip as it squeezes him dry. He has a pretty high pain tolerance, but this is just on a whole other level. He could shrug away the Braxton Hicks, but not this. This pain makes Tweek think he’s gonna die, or at least pass out. He doesn’t, somehow managing to stay conscious throughout the white hot hurt. 

 

“You’re doing so well, Tweek," Craig says from his bedside. And fuck,  _ Craig _ has been doing so well. Tweek is losing it - though he thinks the pain means he is entitled to - but Craig thus far has managed to be a real rock and support. He’s stayed calm and helped Tweek through the contractions. He’s exceeded Tweek’s expectations, even if Tweek isn’t exactly lucid enough to realise it. 

 

He deflates tiredly as the contraction ends, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. At least, until the next one. He hasn’t really made a definite decision regarding pain relief. He’s done enough research to know that birth plans rarely are stuck to anyway so his vague plan was to just see how he goes. So far, he’s not going very well.

 

“You okay?” Asks Craig and Tweek nods as a reply. His energy too low to really talk. He squeezes Craig’s hand instead, letting himself enjoy a small moment of peace. He’s still anxious underneath though, knowing another contraction will be here soon. 

 

“Can you rub my back?” He asks Craig, "like down low.”

 

“You want me to rub your butt?” He jokes, it gets a small laugh out of Tweek.

 

“You know what I  _ -hnn-  _ meant," he says, smiling weakly. And Craig does, he rubs the spot exactly and Tweek doesn’t think he’s ever loved him more. 

 

“Maybe you should try and sleep?” Craig suggests. 

 

“I can’t," Tweek replies miserably.

 

“Well, maybe we should see about an epidural?” Craig asks, clearly treading carefully as not to upset Tweek. Tweek just nods in reply, he doesn’t care about being able to brag that he did it pain free. He needs relief. 

 

“Good," Craig says. "I’m proud of you, baby. You’ve done so well to get this far and you deserve some sleep.”

 

Tweek feels a warm glow in his chest at Craig’s words; this is the hardest thing he’s ever done and he’s glad Craig can see that and is proud of him.

 

“I love you," Tweek says, letting Craig lean in to kiss his cheek. 

 

“I love you too, babe," Craig replies sincerely. 

 

_ “Fuck!”  _ Tweek exclaims as the next contraction hits, ruining their nice little moment. Craig seems to already know what to do, he continues rubbing the spot on Tweek’s lower back with one hand, and squeezing Tweek’s hand with his other.

 

“You’re doing amazing," he says, his tone honey smooth and even. 

 

Tweek squeezes Craig’s hand back as his stomach tightens unbearably. He’s gonna die, he’s sure. All his organs are being crushed, he can feel it. 

 

“Craig, I’m gonna be sick," he panics, the pressure in his belly too much. 

 

“Got you," Craig replies, and is quick to pass him a cardboard bowl that Tweek vaguely remembers the nurses telling him about. Tweek takes it hurriedly before hurling in a very undignified way. Craig doesn’t seem too grossed out, he just keeps rubbing Tweek’s back.

 

“It’s okay," he says. “If you gotta, you gotta. Get it out if that’s what you need.”

 

Tweek doesn’t stop retching until the contraction eases off. He doesn’t speak, just tried his best to gather some kind of composure. It’s taking all he has not to cry. 

 

“You done?” Craig asks gently, and Tweek wordlessly hands him the bowl.

 

“I need the epidural," he says finally.

 

“I know," Craig replies. "I’ll hit the call button.” 

 

—

 

An anaesthetist has to be available to set up the epidural, so despite the request being put in place, Tweek still has to wait. It’s unbearable; he’s been broken down and stripped bare. His hands are shaking, his hair drenched in sweat and tears streaming down his face. He can’t  _ do  _ this anymore. Craig holds him as he cries and murmurs encouragement in his ears. He feels pathetic, worn down and like a failure. 

 

He’s a mess when the nurses and anaesthetist do finally come down. The anaesthetist apologises for the wait, before launching into his spiel about the process and risks of epidural. Tweek doesn’t care, he’s in so much pain he can’t even hear what the doctor is saying. Instead he nods, shakily signs the consent form and lets them begin. 

 

“I’m gonna die," He moans as Craig helps him up onto a table. "I’m gonna die, Craig!”

 

“You’re not," Craig replies quietly, his hands intertwined with Tweek’s. "It’s gonna be over in a bit, just let them do what they gotta.”

 

“Stay still please, Tweek," a nurse asks, as kindly as she can, clearly trying to ease Tweek’s distress. 

 

“I can’t!  _ It hurts!”  _

 

“Hey," Craig says, placing both hands on Tweek’s shoulders, their noses inches apart. “Hey, Tweek, look at me," he requests. Tweek obliges, eyes still wide with pain and fear. 

 

“You can do this, Tweek," he says calmly. "You have made it this far, you’ve been so strong and brave and you deserve this. You deserve some relief, so just look into my eyes, focus on me and it’ll be over soon, okay?”

 

He seems so sure, so steady that Tweek has to trust him. So he takes a deep breath and nods, trying his best to stay still through the pain and keeping his gaze locked on Craig. 

 

“You’ve got this," Craig says softly. "You’re doing so well, you’re gonna feel so much better soon.”

 

“Please," Tweek whines, "can the baby just  _ -hnn-  _ come already?”

 

“Soon," Craig assures. "You need to get some sleep first.”

 

“Absolutely," a nurse agrees. "There’s no point pushing when you’re this exhausted. Let’s get some strength back first.”

 

“When does it start to  _ -gah-  _ work?” Tweek asks breathlessly.

 

“Ten to thirty minutes," the anaesthetist says. "The worst part is over, you should start to feel better soon.”

 

“Thanks," Tweek replies. "I’m sorry I  _ -nghh-  _ panicked.”

 

The nurse smiles at him kindly. "You’re not the first and you won’t be the last, don’t worry.”

 

“You did amazing," Craig chimes in. "I just love you so much, you’re amazing.”

 

“I love you too," Tweek echoes, “but I think I wanna try and sleep.”

 

—

 

When Tweek actually does get to push the epidural blocks out most of the pain. It’s more just hard work when he’s already exhausted. It feels hard while he’s doing it, but their baby is born fairly quickly. As soon as Tweek hears the cry, he’s forgotten all about the fatigue and the pain. 

 

“Do we know the gender?” A midwife asks Craig, who replies with a “no.”

 

They wanted a surprise, and well, right this second Tweek doesn’t even care what the gender is. He just wants to hold his baby,  _ now. _

 

“It’s a boy!” The midwife exclaims and Craig’s face splits into a huge smile. Tweek stars to sob, overwhelmed, when the tiny screaming bundle is placed on his chest.

 

“You wanna cut the cord, daddy?” The midwife asks Craig. 

 

“Yes," Craig replies, his voice all watery with emotion. Craig is crying too, Tweek can’t help but laugh through his own emotional tears. If anything was going to make Craig cry, the birth of his child would be it. 

 

“He’s perfect," Tweek whispers as his bundle is taken away to be weighed and wrapped up. 

 

“You had a baby, Tweek!” Craig says, wiping at his teary eyes. "You did it!”

 

“I did," Tweek says groggily, "we did, couldn’t have done it without you.”

 

“You did all the work, baby, I’m so proud of you," Craig coos.

 

“I’m proud of you too, you  _ -nnn-  _ kept me calm…” 

 

“Do we have a name chosen yet?” The midwife asks.

 

“Lucas," Tweek says, "unless you don’t think he looks like a  _ -ah-  _ Lucas now he’s here?”

 

“No, he’s a Lucas," Craig affirms. 

 

“Well then," the midwife says happily, "welcome to the world, little Lucas.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is blesspastacraig if you wanna be friends :)


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